One person’s view on the “minority question”
Regarding the question “is there a minority acceptance problem at Ryerson:” for those who wish to find such a “problem,” there is definitely one!
The problem is encouraging the acceptance of the truth that we all have the ‘path’ (our individual life experience) in common, yet it is precisely our individual experience of our path which is so unique and special. How to bridge this paradox!? Certainly NOT through the practice of Identity politics.
What is a minority, and anyway, a minority of what? Is our society not an agglomeration of “minorities?” Are each one of us not a part of the “majority” at some point?
I have lived my life to date as the perennial “minority” in six societies on four continents, both as a visible and an invisible minority. Even now, I am a minority in some respects in the context of my peers and colleagues. Should I fly a banner, and if so under which aspect of my multiple minority identities — religion, ethnicity, etcetera, or perhaps more dangerously, my IDEAS, which have offended mayn and will likely do so again?
Or perhaps it is prudent for me to continue as a member of the majority, the majority of humans who strive for daily inner peace and social justice, not only in their own small lives, but in making some of that good stuff for others.
Yes, yes, yes, there is a ‘minority problem’ at Ryerson, (as there is in other settings for human interaction). The problem I identify is in accepting the truths of the incredibly small minority of “suffering” souls who imagine they are above contributing to the irritating pettiness of all humans — intolerance, ignorance, and blind ambition.
I believe the minority problem at Ryerson (an in our charged society in general) is one of a self-appointed self-righteous minority of individuals advocating their charged (neo- Marxist) political agendas under the transparently deceptive banner of promoting tolerance, encouraging social enlightenment and nurturing spiritual transcendence. They dictate their agendas, all while purporting to be guarding the threatened rights of the oppressed and disenfranchised.
All this and more, in their public atoning of their guilt and alienation from the real challenges of daily life, in a snivelling tone of deprived entitlement.
This piece was written by a faculty member whose name has been withheld by request.
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